William was born in Nebraska, March 1883 to John and Amanda Steves King. His mother married Zenith Layton and the family lived in David City. William was listed as a soldier in the 1900 census. He married Marie Fritzer in David City on February 18, 1905. In 1910 he was working as the manager of an automobile garage in David City. William and Marie King moved to San Diego, California, where he worked as a lineman for the street railway. They had no children.